. >> reporter: the fans, owners, city officials, business community, just about everybody are still waiting for the economic renaissance, the kind that followed the verizon center's construction in the heart of china town. >> you know what happened. the stadium got built. the market crashed and nothing got developed. >> reporter: in today's money this is a $660 million ballpark, one of the best in the business. they broke ground here in march of 2006. two years later they had opening day here. what's missing still are businesses to fill all of those vacant lots over there, bars, restaurants, hotels, housing units. >> we're still very optimistic. it's a timing issue. >> reporter: local lawyer mark towie led the team that negotiated baseball's return to washington and then the construction of nationals park. >> the situation the economy has been in the last few years where construction financing has not been as available, but i'm told by a number of developers it's coming very quickly now in the next few years and with it, by the way, the all-star game. >> reporter: bruce johnson, 9news. >> r